After a couple of turbulent, rainy days in the area, we’re looking at a stellar weather picture as we head into the weekend.  Cool, dry high pressure of Canadian origin is settling into the western Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley, feeding us some crisp, fall-like air for our “Finally Friday” with temperatures that are cooler than normal and more typical of September.  We’ve been seeing 70 degree weather a little more often in recent days with a change in the weather pattern from the July weather pattern that just about cooked us and led to the fourth warmest July in Rochester history.  Our current cool, dry spell comes on the heels of a couple of fairly minor storm systems that brought showers and thunderstorms and even a little severe weather to the local area.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT…SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
933 PM CDT THU AUG 09 2012

..TIME… …EVENT… …CITY LOCATION… …LAT.LON…
..DATE… ….MAG…. ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. …SOURCE….
..REMARKS..

0223 PM HAIL 3 SE LAKE CITY 44.42N 92.24W
08/09/2012 E0.50 INCH WABASHA MN PUBLIC

PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL COVERED LAKE PEPIN GOLF COURSE

0227 PM HAIL 4 WSW WABASHA 44.35N 92.12W
08/09/2012 E0.88 INCH WABASHA MN PUBLIC

0240 PM HAIL 6 WSW WABASHA 44.34N 92.16W
08/09/2012 E0.50 INCH WABASHA MN PUBLIC

0258 PM HAIL 4 NNE PLAINVIEW 44.22N 92.14W
08/09/2012 E0.88 INCH WABASHA MN TRAINED SPOTTER

0320 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 N ST. CHARLES 44.04N 92.06W
08/09/2012 WINONA MN AMATEUR RADIO

15 INCH DIAMETER WALNUT TREE SNAPPED 30 FEET ABOVE
GROUND. CORN PUSHED OVER 45 DEGREES. SOME CORN SNAPPED ON
TOP. OTHER TREES PUSHED OVER.

0320 PM HAIL 5 N ST. CHARLES 44.04N 92.06W
08/09/2012 E0.50 INCH WINONA MN AMATEUR RADIO

0455 PM HAIL 4 E RIDGEWAY 43.30N 91.91W
08/09/2012 E1.00 INCH WINNESHIEK IA PUBLIC

DIME TO QUARTER SIZED. ALSO SOME SMALL BRANCHES DOWNED
FROM WIND.

0456 PM HAIL 4 E RIDGEWAY 43.30N 91.91W
08/09/2012 E1.75 INCH WINNESHIEK IA PUBLIC

QUARTER TO GOLFBALL. DENTED CAMPER. WIND ESTIMATED AT 50
MPH WITH LEAVES SPRAYED ONTO SIDE OF HOUSE. NO DAMAGE TO
HOME SIDING.

0456 PM HAIL 2 W DECORAH 43.31N 91.83W
08/09/2012 M2.00 INCH WINNESHIEK IA PUBLIC

COURTESY KWWL MEDIA. VERIFIED WITH PICTURE.

0505 PM TSTM WND GST CONOVER 43.21N 91.92W
08/09/2012 E70.00 MPH WINNESHIEK IA LAW ENFORCEMENT

0510 PM TSTM WND GST CALMAR 43.18N 91.87W
08/09/2012 E70.00 MPH WINNESHIEK IA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

CALMAR FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTIMATED A WIND GUST OF 70 MILES
PER HOUR.

0510 PM HAIL 2 NE CALMAR 43.20N 91.84W
08/09/2012 M1.00 INCH WINNESHIEK IA CO-OP OBSERVER

COOPERATIVE OBSERVER MEASURED UP TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL.
DRIFTS OF HAIL IN ROAD DITCH AND THE CORN WAS STRIPPED OF
THE LEAVES WITH STALKS AND EARS LEFT.

Rainfall ReportsPUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
738 AM CDT FRI AUG 10 2012

…24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE AREA…

LOCATION RAINFALL TIME LAT/LON

IOWA

…ALLAMAKEE COUNTY…
WAUKON 0.16 0700 AM 43.27N 91.47W
DORCHESTER HIGHWAY 76 0.07 0700 AM 43.42N 91.51W
LANSING 4SE 0.06 0700 AM 43.32N 91.16W
HARPERS FERRY 0.05 0700 AM 43.17N 91.24W
ION 0.04 0700 AM 43.11N 91.27W

…CHICKASAW COUNTY…
IONIA 0.52 0700 AM 43.03N 92.50W

…CLAYTON COUNTY…
VOLGA 0.23 0700 AM 42.81N 91.52W
ELKADER 6SSW 0.14 0700 AM 42.79N 91.45W
GUTTENBERG 0.09 0700 AM 42.79N 91.10W
LITTLEPORT 0.08 0700 AM 42.75N 91.37W
ELKADER 0.07 0700 AM 42.84N 91.40W
MONONA 0.04 0700 AM 43.04N 91.40W
GARBER 0.04 0700 AM 42.74N 91.26W
MARQUETTE 0.03 0700 AM 43.04N 91.21W

…FAYETTE COUNTY…
ELDORADO 0.49 0700 AM 43.05N 91.81W
FAYETTE 0.36 0700 AM 42.85N 91.82W
OELWEIN AWOS 0.00 0700 AM 42.68N 91.97W

…FLOYD COUNTY…
CHARLES CITY AWOS 0.46 0700 AM 43.07N 92.61W
COLWELL 0.15 0700 AM 43.16N 92.59W

…MITCHELL COUNTY…
ST ANSGAR 0.30 0700 AM 43.37N 92.83W

…WINNESHIEK COUNTY…
BLUFFTON 0.40 0700 AM 43.41N 91.90W
DECORAH 0.21 0700 AM 43.30N 91.80W
DECORAH AWOS 0.08 0700 AM 43.28N 91.74W

MINNESOTA

…DODGE COUNTY…
DODGE CENTER AWOS 0.27 0700 AM 44.03N 92.83W

…FILLMORE COUNTY…
PILOT MOUND 1.32 0700 AM 43.78N 92.03W
LANESBORO 1.19 0700 AM 43.72N 91.97W
HIGHLAND 0.61 0700 AM 43.65N 91.84W
PRESTON AWOS 0.33 0700 AM 43.68N 92.18W
CARIMONA 0.26 0700 AM 43.66N 92.15W
SPRING VALLEY 3E 0.05 0700 AM 43.68N 92.33W

…HOUSTON COUNTY…
HOUSTON 0.13 0700 AM 43.77N 91.57W
MOUND PRAIRIE 0.06 0700 AM 43.78N 91.45W

…MOWER COUNTY…
AUSTIN 0.44 0700 AM 43.67N 92.95W
LANSING 0.41 0700 AM 43.75N 92.95W
AUSTIN AWOS 0.38 0700 AM 43.67N 92.93W
AUSTIN 3S 0.01 0700 AM 43.62N 93.00W

…OLMSTED COUNTY…
ELBA 0.97 0700 AM 44.05N 92.05W
DOVER 1E 0.83 0700 AM 43.97N 92.12W
ROCHESTER – CASCADE CREEK 0.48 0700 AM 44.03N 92.48W
BYRON 0.38 0700 AM 44.07N 92.66W
POST TOWN 0.37 0700 AM 44.09N 92.82W
ROCHESTER – BEAR CREEK 0.22 0700 AM 43.92N 92.48W
ROCHESTER 5SW 0.19 0700 AM 43.98N 92.56W
ELGIN 0.17 0700 AM 44.10N 92.27W
ROCHESTER AP 2NE 0.09 0700 AM 43.93N 92.48W
ROCHESTER – SILVER CREEK 0.09 0700 AM 44.03N 92.42W
ROCHESTER BELTLINE 0.09 0700 AM 43.91N 92.50W
ROCHESTER ASOS 0.05 0700 AM 43.91N 92.50W

…WABASHA COUNTY…
LAKE CITY 0.86 0700 AM 44.45N 92.26W
KELLOGG 0.24 0700 AM 44.32N 92.00W

…WINONA COUNTY…
ALTURA 0.42 0700 AM 44.15N 92.01W
WINONA 0.16 0700 AM 44.09N 91.67W
MINNESOTA CITY 0.10 0700 AM 44.16N 91.81W
LA CRESCENT DAM 7 0.07 0700 AM 43.87N 91.31W
DAKOTA 0.05 0700 AM 43.92N 91.37W

WISCONSIN

…BUFFALO COUNTY…
ALMA DAM 4 0.06 0700 AM 44.33N 91.92W

…CLARK COUNTY…
NEILLSVILLE 3SW 1.48 0700 AM 44.53N 90.64W
NEILLSVILLE 0.50 0700 AM 44.56N 90.61W

…CRAWFORD COUNTY…
LYNXVILLE DAM 9 0.11 0700 AM 43.21N 91.10W
STEUBEN 0.04 0700 AM 43.18N 90.87W
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN 0.03 0700 AM 43.05N 91.13W
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWOS 0.01 0700 AM 43.30N 89.76W

…GRANT COUNTY…
MUSCODA 0.53 0700 AM 43.20N 90.44W
BOSCOBEL ASOS 0.15 0700 AM 43.16N 90.68W
BOSCOBEL RAWS 0.10 0700 AM 43.15N 90.68W
ROCKVILLE 0.01 0700 AM 42.73N 90.64W

…JACKSON COUNTY…
HATFIELD DAM 0.46 0700 AM 44.41N 90.73W
BLACK RIVER FALLS 0.20 0700 AM 44.38N 90.84W
BLACK RIVER FALLS AWOS 0.18 0700 AM 44.25N 90.86W
BLACK RIVER FALLS RAWS 0.15 0700 AM 44.30N 90.84W

…JUNEAU COUNTY…
NEW LISBON 4ENE 0.76 0700 AM 43.91N 90.07W
CAMP DOUGLAS 0.68 0700 AM 43.94N 90.26W
NECEDAH 1W 0.56 0700 AM 44.02N 90.08W
NECEDAH 5WNW 0.48 0700 AM 44.06N 90.17W

…LA CROSSE COUNTY…
WEST SALEM 2W 0.06 0700 AM 43.90N 91.12W
HOLMEN 2S 0.05 0700 AM 43.93N 91.25W
LA CROSSE NWS 0.03 0700 AM 43.82N 91.19W
LA CROSSE AIRPORT T 0700 AM 43.88N 91.26W

…MONROE COUNTY…
FOUR CORNERS 0.23 0700 AM 44.07N 90.92W
SPARTA AWOS 0.07 0700 AM 43.96N 90.74W

…RICHLAND COUNTY…
RICHLAND CENTER 1NW 0.43 0700 AM 43.36N 90.42W

…TAYLOR COUNTY…
LUBLIN DIAMOND LAKE 0.86 0700 AM 45.11N 90.69W
JUMP RIVER 0.34 0700 AM 45.36N 90.80W

…TREMPEALEAU COUNTY…
OSSEO 0.35 0700 AM 44.58N 91.22W
TREMPEALEAU DAM 6 0.30 0700 AM 44.00N 91.44W
GALESVILLE 3ENE 0.16 0700 AM 44.09N 91.29W

…VERNON COUNTY…
HILLSBORO 0.93 0700 AM 43.65N 90.35W
ONTARIO 0.89 0700 AM 43.72N 90.59W
HILLSBORO*** 0.81 0700 AM 43.65N 90.33W
LIBERTY POLE 2SW 0.20 0700 AM 43.49N 90.95W
LA FARGE 0.18 0700 AM 43.57N 90.64W
SEAS BRANCH HAUGEN 0.16 0700 AM 43.61N 90.85W
COON VALLEY 6S 0.16 0700 AM 43.61N 91.01W
READSTOWN 0.15 0700 AM 43.45N 90.76W
VIROQUA 4NE 0.11 0700 AM 43.61N 90.82W
VIROQUA 3ESE 0.08 0700 AM 43.55N 90.82W
COON VALLEY 5E 0.07 0700 AM 43.71N 90.92W
WESTBY 2NNE 0.04 0700 AM 43.70N 90.85W
VIROQUA 4WSW 0.04 0700 AM 43.54N 90.96W
STODDARD 0.03 0700 AM 43.66N 91.24W
GENOA 0.02 0700 AM 43.57N 91.23W

We’ll have a sunny pleasant day today and then a clear, crisp, cool night tonight with low temperatures perhaps dropping to the 40s for the first time in much of the area since early June. No, it’s not a sign that fall is right around the corner…not yet anyway, but it is a sign that we’re in August and cool spells happen every now and then this time of the year. Up north, International Falls saw its first 30 something temperature in a couple of months, so you know the Canadian air mass that’s moving in is going to make for an “extra blanket on the bed” type scenario for us as well, even if it’s just 48 or 49 instead of 37° as it was early this morning up there.

While we were just slightly on the cool side this morning, areas up north experienced a little bit of September weather this morning.

The weekend looks to feature a continuation of this cool, comfortable theme as highs will be in the mid 70s Saturday and Sunday with Sunday looking to be the gloomier of the two days as scattered showers and a few thunderstorms will be possible through most of the day.

Posted under Lows, rainfall amounts, weather

If you’re thinking our area has been especially gray and wet so far this year, you’re absolutely correct in your analysis.  It has been exceptionally wet!  Going back to the beginning of 2011, Rochester for instance, has had the wettest year to this date since 2001 and the 6th wettest overall in recorded history. 

Through April 26th, Rochester International Airport has received 9.03 inches of precipitation.  This was 2.89 inches wetter than the 1971-2000 normal of 6.14 inches.  The table below contains the ten wettest starts to a year at Rochester MN.

        Wettest Starts to a Year
           through April 26th
            at Rochester MN
              1886-2011

            Precipitation
    Rank        Total          Year
    —-    ————-      —-
      1     10.68 inches       1951
      2     10.45 inches       2001
      3     10.40 inches       1999
      4      9.92 inches       1990
      5      9.46 inches       1945
      6      9.03 inches       2011
      7      8.86 inches       1993
      8      8.71 inches       1888
      9      8.56 inches       1965
     10      8.38 inches       1998

The table below shows a monthly break down of the precipitation this year.

            Monthly Break Down
             of Precipitation
               during 2011
                             
             Precipitation      Departure
   Month         Total         from Normal 
   —–     ————-     ———–
  January     0.84 inches     -0.10 inches
  February    0.75 inches     +0.02 inches
  March       3.51 inches     +1.63 inches
  April+      3.91 inches     +1.34 inches

  Total       9.03 inches     +2.89 inches

  + Precipitation through April 26th

Posted under climate

Aside from a breezy west wind, our weekend weather has been splenderific (yup, I made that up).

Look for a quiet night tonight, and a kinda-similar day for Sunday. The only difference will be temps a few degrees warmer, and a very, very slight chance for some showers to pop in the afternoon/evening. Otherwise, enjoy the comfortable, beautiful September weather this weekend.

We had rain yesterday – and here are the reported totals from the NWS in La Crosse.

Posted under rainfall, rainfall amounts

Our local bout with rainfall on Tuesday doesn’t trump what the Twin Cities/western Wisconsin and central Iowa saw. In the Twin Cities area, 2-5″ of rain fell, and into west central Wisconsin, over 6″ fell in some spots. Much is the same story in central Iowa. That area, and west central Wisconsin, are dealing with serious flooding issues today. For more, you can visit the NWS Chanhassen website and the NWS Des Moines website.

Here are our area’s 24-hour reported rainfall amounts. I’ve also tried to include the local Coop reports as well.

Posted under flooding, rainfall, rainfall amounts

24-hour rainfall amounts as of 7 AM today.

Posted under rainfall, rainfall amounts

Holy Hail Hannah! Vivian, SD, July 23, 2010

Before I get to the rainfall amounts, check out this WHOPPER of a hailstone from Vivian, SD on Friday, July 23rd. Yes folks, this fell from the sky. Get why we tell you to seek shelter during severe weather? It’s not always tornadoes and stuff. This guy here is pushing 7″ in diameter and 18.5″ for a circumference.

The largest hailstone to land on the ground – if someone finds different, please correct me, but this is according to my research – was in 2003, in Aurora, Nebraska. It measured 7 inches in diameter and 18.75 inches was the circumference. (You may be saying, but Steph, what about the Coffeyville hailstone? Yes, that was big too, and held the previous top hailstone record: 5.7″ diameter and 17.5″ circumference from September 3rd, 1970).

Is a new record? That’s up to the National Climate Extreme’s Committee (but if we hear, we’ll let you know).

OK, so that storm that dumped that hail headed our way and merged with a line of wind and rain for us Friday night. Saturday evening I showed some of the 3-day reported rainfalls. Here’s a more extensive list of them from the NWS in La Crosse. These are from Wednesday 7 am – Saturday 7 am.

Posted under hail, rainfall, rainfall amounts

Here are reported 24-hour rainfall totals to the NWS La Crosse. At this time I don’t have anything for locations in the Des Moines or Chanhassen office areas.

No severe weather or heavy rains expected in the next 24-48 hours. There will be some areas of fog overnight, and Sunday is looking really good: highs around 80, mostly sunny, with a light breeze.

Posted under rainfall, rainfall amounts

Monday’s rainfall (and funnel clouds) were hit or miss. Here are the reported rainfall totals 9ending at 7 am this morning) the NWS in La Crosse. There are two at the bottom from the NWS in Des Moines.

More rain chances to come this week, including a good chance on Thursday.

Posted under rainfall amounts

Here are some of the reported rainfalls to the National Weather Service in La Crosse and to Chanhassen (Des Moines is not available). These are from Saturday 7 am-Sunday 7am.

A heads up that we’ll have nearly daily chances for rain and t-storms this week, some potentially heavy, as a stationary front hangs out near us and the jetstream sets up right over us. While it won’t be raining all day, every day, any of the t-storms could bring locally heavy rainfall, which may lead to localized flooding issues.

Posted under rainfall amounts

Looking east from near Chester

Rainbow from Sunday night’s storms

The storms are settling down and we’re in for a quiet rest of the overnight. Most of the activity was scattered today, as expected, and the severe stuff was limited. There was one reports of wind damage (from rural Lake City) that we got word of, but more than anything, these guys were torrential rain producers (or, gullywashers…because I dig that word so much).

Posted under rainfall amounts